 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jstthunder88
Date: 2003-12-21 02:18
would learning another instrument, just for fun, affect how you play clarinet?
Post Edited (2003-12-21 02:22)
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-12-21 02:35
Shouldn't, if you approach it correctly. See other threads in this regard. Same issues as clarinet: you will need a good teacher. And remember you will have to keep practicing the clarinet while you learn the new instrument.
A couple of years ago, the bass player in a band I play in taught me four chords on the bass, enough to get through two tunes, so she could play fiddle on them. It went pretty well - nobody could tell how scared I was.
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Author: Robyn
Date: 2003-12-21 07:38
I asked that same question of my professor last year because we are required to take one semester of a second instrument and I wanted to take another wind instrument. He said that any of the instruments would be fine except saxophone (he didn't explain why, but I presume it's because the embouchures are too similar to each other and there might be some carryover....doublers, please don't jump on me!) So I've been playing oboe for several months with no ill effects.
Cheers,
Robyn
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-22 06:47
I have rarely heard anyone play oboe without at least some ill effects. Some might even claim it cannot be done.
Regards,
John
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-22 07:15
I've heard that playing another instrument can have good effects as well. While it probably wouldn't benefit your embouchre, or finger technique that much being a different instrument, if you're feeling sort of "clarinet-ed out" playing the same old things day by day or just wondering what'd it be like, it's a great small break from clarinet. Also, it might renew and give you a deeper appreciation for the clarinet. For instance, when I pick up my sax, I like it. I think I sound nice. I play all the notes, fingerings, dynamics, with as much expression as I can, but then I realize that some things would just "sound better" on a clarinet or on a sax. Playing another instrument helps me to appreciate the sound/versatility of the clarinet more.
Nowadays I hear songs on the radio and think of how nice they would sound with a clarinet playing the melody. I've always wanted to make/hear a clarinet recording of "Irish Lullaby (Too-ra Loo-ra Loo-ra)" by Kenny Loggins. It's on his CD of lullaby songs dedicated to his son. Which I am both proud and highly embarrassed to own and listen to at my low-twenties age . But I think it'd sound so nice on a clarinet.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2003-12-22 11:43
It may but the key is to keep practicing the clarinet regularly as well. I'm a doubler on 4 instruments (clarinet, flute, sax, piano) and find that practicing different instruments is fun. Some skills will improve such as rhythm, musical skills. My clarinet embochure is the strongest of the 3 wind instruments, probably because I play it the most or have been playing it longer than the others.
I agree with Alexi that sometimes I hear or play a song on one instrument and think - that would sound better on the sax or clarinet.
Alexi - don't be embarrased about the music you like. It's your opinion and you are allowed to have one whether others agree with you or not. ;-)
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Author: David
Date: 2003-12-22 12:07
Hmm. Saxophone prejudice. I haven't seen that for years.
Hopefully the restriction is just to broaden your horizons and get you playing a different breed of instrument
Playing a sax can only do you good. The embouchure is only distantly related to the clarinet, and will teach you lots about tone production and control.
The fingering is pretty much like the clarion register, you can do "long B-flats" and the other keys are more or less where you would expect to find them. You'll have a bit of a head start there, and you can concentrate on sound and technique.
Hopefully you teacher isn't such a dinosaur as to imagine it's a poor relation to the clarinet. Just different.The repetoire is excellent, even for a recent invention, and top-line playing standards are extremely high.
And it's cool. Damnwhatagiveaway...
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Author: lyn
Date: 2003-12-22 13:16
I play flute in addition to clarinet, and have studied for years. I think that learning how to breathe like a flutist helps immensely.
~L
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-12-22 14:26
For me, the more the merrier. When I was in high school, I played everything I could get my hands on -- clarinets from Eb to contra, saxes from soprano to bass, flute, oboe, bassoon, even sousaphone for a week. And I sang.
I found no confusion of fingerings or embouchure. The feel of the instrument when I picked it up keyed in the appropriate embouchure and fingerings.
More important, each new instrument did things naturally that didn't happen on clarinet, and that improved my clarinet playing.
As long as you keep up your clarinet practice, playing other instruments will only reinforce what you do.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-22 17:09
Quote:
I found no confusion of fingerings or embouchure. The feel of the instrument when I picked it up keyed in the appropriate embouchure and fingerings. I had a bad experience with that actually. Throughout high school I played clarinet in the concert season and tenor sax in the marching band season and in jazz band. So I was used to the spread of a tenor sax and the notes. So far, no wrong fingerings, I knew that the big instrument was sax, and the little one was clarinet.
Then in community band I played bass clarinet for the first time. And lo and behold I had to work to fight off the tenor sax urges. The fact that I was back to a large instrument, with a good spread in the fingers, and the plateau keys fooled my mind!
But don't worry, it was nothing serious. Two practices and I was normal again.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Wes
Date: 2003-12-23 00:09
If you find the right teacher of the oboe, you can find that it can be a help in your clarinet playing, musically speaking, as some oboe teachers are very much into phrasing, musical playing, etc a la Tabuteau. The air support required for a good sound on the oboe can also benefit your clarinet sound. One may be able to get by on the clarinet with less air support but it is absolutely needed on the oboe if one wants to play with other people. Each is an important instrument requiring time, focussed effort, and proper teaching with no conflict between them in daily playing.
Doubling on a gig with the oboe and the clarinet is not so easy because of the extra hardware, cases, reed knife, swabs, water container, extra reeds for the oboe, etc that are needed. The oboe reed needs to be moist when playing.
Playing of the flute and saxophone in addition to the clarinet is so commonly done that there should be question about it. Good luck!!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-23 01:50
Out of curiousity, what's the other instrument you're thinking about learning?
US Army Japan Band
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Author: ksclarinetgirl
Date: 2003-12-23 04:34
I found that playing bari sax as well as clarinet has significantly improved my breath support. In order to be heard in the jazz band I play in, I have to have quite an air capacity. It's definitely helped my breath support in clarinet, and the last couple of years I have really been able to control my dynamics (with the right reed of course). It also helps as a future music educator, because that way I know how to make bass lines sound good (if that makes any sense) as well as the top parts.
Stephanie :o)
"Vita Brevis, Ars Longa"
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2003-12-23 04:39
As a music ed major, I've had to learn how to play a wide variety of instruments. It certainly didn't hurt my playing. I'll be playing trombone in concert band and giving my junior recital on clarinet next semester, so we'll see how it goes.
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Author: lycfmtkl
Date: 2003-12-24 07:58
Besides clarinet, I play the flute and oboe. I find that I have to concentrate on only one instrument I prefer for development of my musical career. It is good to learn more than one insrument, but it is difficult to play well on more than one instruments.
You rarely find a professional clarinetist who is also a professional oboist.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-12-24 10:55
You will find plenty theatre pit musicians playing well, and professionally, doubling on several instruments, particularly woodwind and sax.
They may not be the world's best on any one instrument, but they sure can impress at least 99.9% of the audience. Doubling on sax and clarinet is pretty well a necessary standard in pit work.
The flute/piccolo embouchure is perhaps the most sensitive to doubling. There is nothing much wrong with James Galway's playing. Quote from Sir James, 2002, "I play the French horn and saxophone (real bad on both) and it has not affected my embouchure at all. In fact, playing the French horn actually improved it. I became more aware of the changes which are necessary on the flute.....My brother plays the flute, Clarinet and Sax and I think he is great on the flute."
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Author: lycfmtkl
Date: 2003-12-24 13:58
I wholly agree with what Gordon said, there are professional doublers of sax and clarinet, sax and horn, sax and flute etc.
But I find that I have to spend most of the time to practice the oboe that I have no time to play the clarinet. Besides, I have to spend a lot of time in learning to make an acceptable oboe reed for myself. The embouchure of oboe and clarinet are completely different. The control of breath is different too.
Good Luck
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Author: William
Date: 2003-12-24 14:58
My main instrument is the soprano clarinet(s), but I also double on the saxophones and flute, and occassionally play trumpet when I want to show a student "how that should go". In high school, I played lead soprano bugle in an award winning drum and bugle corps and in music school, my chosen "secondary" instrument was the horn. We also took year-long lessons on stringed instruments and piano. But nothing detered me from regular and focused practice on my clarinets. Playing all those other instruments actually helped (and still does) improve my embouchure control in terms of tone quality and endurance. I still devote the major portion of my practice time to the Bb & A clarinets, but the Eb, C, and bass clarinet--as well as the saxophoes and flute--are always ready for the next gig (and so am I). Happy Holidays.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-12-24 21:12
lycfmtkl wote "But I find that I have to spend most of the time to practice the oboe...."
The issue of insufficient practice interferring with the quality of one's playing is a completely separate issue from the issue of doubling.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-12-25 19:52
I know of three tremendous players, locally.
One plays English Horn as his first love, and doubles in the pit with local union gigs on ANY reed part.
Another is principal clarinet for our Symphony Orchestra and claims that playing other instruments would detract from her focus... although she plays all clarinet parts - Eefer to ContraBass.
The third plays Alto saxophone as his main axe (it's the sweetest sound around) and plays other saxes as required.... he larks over flute parts.
...each one has been making a living from playing music for years.
I suppose it comes down to necessity, and the individual.
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-12-29 14:00
If you want to do any pit orchestra work and don't play other woodwinds you won't work much. Of the fifty plus works I have played very few of the books have been for clarinet only. What is you reason for wanting to learn?
My best friend is a bassoonist and his contention is that the clarinet is the most difficult of the woodwinds to play. And yes he plays all of them. I would agree that embouchre on clarinet is the most difficult and our fingerings because of the 12ths and not octaves are harder as well.
I can play to some degree of proficiency all of the woodwinds. I took lessons on bassoon, oboe and english horn as part of my MA. Sax and flute I learned on my own. If you are a self starter do it on your own, otherwise find a teacher and let him/her know your reasons for wanting to learn another instrument.
Jean
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